The 2017 ‘Thematic Paper on Improving Access to Services for Women with Disabilities’ looks at which challenges women with disabilities face when trying to seek help from gender-based violence. The protection of women with disability from gender-based violence has been one of the main issues addressed by WAVE and its network members over the years, and is a central focus area in the WAVE StepUp! campaign. The need for support services to have trained staff that can address the specific needs of women with disabilities is paramount in all services from police, shelter, to organisations working with people with disabilities, etc., as the barriers to access these services are many and includes everything from lack of access to information in easy-to-read language, braille, sign etc., physical access to support services, trained staff at police, shelters, organisations working with people with disability. In addition, the paper explores not only which barriers they face but also specific measures that can be done in order to improve their access to services.
